History

Over 100 years of KNCV

1903

15 April: Foundation of the ‘Algemene Nederlandsche Chemische Vereeniging’ by befriended chemists and colleagues Willem Jorissen, Jan Rutten and Lodewijk Reicher. The society has 113 members at the time of inception. Membership fee: NLG 7.50

4 July: The society is renamed the ‘Nederlandsche Chemische Vereeniging (Netherlands Chemical Society, NCV). Ernst Julius Cohen is appointed as the first chairman.

3 October: Publication of the first issue of Chemisch Weekblad, the official publication of the NCV, with Willem Jorissen as the journal’s editor in chief (a position he would hold until 1939).

1910

NCV becomes owner of Chemisch Weekblad.

1917

NCV introduces the analyst examination. The first exams are conducted in 1919.

1918

The Netherlands Chemical Industry Association (VNCI) is founded by the NCV. Until then, the NCV did not distinguish between private and corporate membership.

1920

Chemisch Weekblad becomes a joint publication of the NCV and VNCI. The scientific journal Recueil des Travaux Chimiques des Pays Bas is placed under the auspices of the NCV.

1926

The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) is established based on findings and recommendations of a committee chaired by Prof. F.A.F.C. Went.

1934

The Employment and Crisis Fund Committee encourages unemployed members to report to the board. The NCV makes a payment of NLG 4,000 into the crisis fund (following a payment of NLG 3,000 in 1932).

1939

The NCV receives NLG 35,000 from the estate of F. Fellinga. This is to become the Fellinga Fund, a fund established in 1952 dedicated to providing travel grants to young chemists.

The first office of the NCV and the editors of Chemisch Weekblad is set up in the Dutch Patent Council’s office in The Hague. Before that their office was housed in the home of NCV’s secretary!

1943

Publication of Chemisch Weekblad is terminated. The German occupiers ordered the placement of a recruitment notice for the Waffen-SS and the Dutch army. Both the editors and the board objected to placing the notice.

1945

Publication of Chemisch Weekblad is resumed. The journal is issued once every two weeks due to the paper shortage.

Establishment of the ‘Zuiveringscommissie’ (Purging Committee). Based on the findings of this committee dozens of members were expelled.

1946

The NCV moves to the first floor of the Diligentia building at the Lange Voorhout.

1953

The NCV celebrates its 50th anniversary and receives the title ‘Royal’. The festivities take place at the Kurhaus Hotel. The society now has around 3,000 members.

1956

The Society for Chemical Research the Netherlands (SON) is established on the initiative of the KNCV. The aim is to bring researchers into contact with one another. This soon leads to communities such as Spectroscopy, Protein Research and Electrochemistry.

1961

The KNCV moves office to a newly acquired building in The Hague’s Burnierstraat. SON moves to the new location too.

1963

The Analyst Exam is allocated to the Stichting voor Assisterend Laboratorium Personeel (SAL), a foundation that protects the interest of laboratory support staff as well as staff from medical and physical disciplines.

Introduction of the ‘Gouden Medaille’, an honorary distinction for young talented Dutch chemists. The award is now the most prestigious award for researchers in chemistry.

1967

The KNCV becomes the publisher of Chemisch Weekblad. KNCV secretary Floor Haak, Edwin Kisman (chief editor from 1969 to 1997) and editor Paul Maas give the journal a new look and feel, making it more accessible to a non-research audience.

1972

The KNCV establishes a committee that responds to the needs of the growing number of unemployed chemists on the market (the Labour Market and Social Task Committee).

1973

Increased cooperation with sister societies abroad leads to the foundation of the European Federation of Chemical Societies (FECS) and the European Economic Community Chemistry Committee (EECCC).

1974

Chemisch Weekblad and Recueil are taken under the wing of Sigma Publishing House, of which the KNCV is shareholder.

1978

KNCV recommendation on research leads to the report ‘Stimulering van innovatieve research voor de chemische industrie’ (Promotion of Innovative Research for the Chemical Industry) and the report ‘Tien Researchdoelen’ (Ten Research Objectives).

1979

1981

Ted de Ryck van der Gracht joins the KNCV as board secretary and director. A number of changes are implemented directly:

Launch of the Young Members Committee, a committee that focuses on student members.

The KNCV opens its doors to higher professional education graduates and laboratory staff. A separate section is established for this target group, namely the Laboratory & Business Practice section.

1982

To increase awareness among a larger audience and improve the reputation of chemistry, the KNCV launches the Information Committee.

The first edition of the encyclopaedia Chemische Feitelijkheden is published.

The first ‘Chemistry Open Day’ attracts 35,000 visitors.

1984

In collaboration with the VNCI, the KNCV presents a report entitled ‘Toekomstig Chemisch Onderzoek’ (The Future of Chemistry Research) to the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science.

1986

The Beta Federation is founded on the initiative of the KNCV. The Beta Federation is an umbrella organisation for scientific professional associations in the Netherlands.

1987

The ‘Keuzen en Kansen in de chemie’ (Choices and Opportunities in Chemistry) report is published.

1990

The Dutch government presents a framework for achieving sustainability through its National Environmental Policy Plan. Considering the impact for the chemical industry and chemistry-related professions, the KNCV issues a report entitled ‘Milieu: Chemici een zorg’ (The Environment: Why Chemists Care).

1992

Introduction of the European Chemist (EurChem) title, an international professional qualification for chemists. The aim of this designation is to promote the mobility of chemical scientists throughout Europe based on an agreed set of skills, competencies and training.

1993

The KNCV, VNCI and NVON join forces in founding Stichting C3. The primary target group of this independent foundation are educational institutes, in particular primary and secondary schools.

The first volume of De Geschiedenis van de Scheikunde in Nederland (A History of Chemistry in the Netherlands) is published.

1994

With the KIP (knowledge retention) placements, the KNCV comes up with a scheme for the fast-growing number of unemployed chemists. Thanks to a total of EUR 1 million in subsidies, dozens of chemists find permanent employment.

1996

The KNCV website goes live.

1997

The KNCV/VNCI’s plea for a separate Chemistry section within the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NOW) results in the Chemical Sciences department, the successor of SON.

The second volume of De Geschiedenis van de Scheikunde in Nederland is published.

1999

The Chemisch Magazine and Chemisch Weekblad become the biweekly magazine Chemisch2Weekblad. The accompanying website, c2w.nl, is updated daily with the latest news.

2000

Iwan Thonus is named the new secretary of the KNCV.

2001

After 40 years at the Burnierstraat, the KNCV office moves to the Vlietweg in Leidschendam. The new location houses the KNCV, VNCI and Stichting C3, all under one roof.

The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), in cooperation with the KNCV, publishes ‘Chemie achter de Dijken’ (Chemistry behind the Dikes), a book published on the occasion of the centenary of the first Nobel Prize for Chemistry.

The KNCV organises an Internet debate for the first time. Theme of the debate: security.

2002

In honour of its upcoming 100th anniversary, the KNCV opens ‘The Year of the Molecule’ on 3 October.

2003

On 15 April, a jubilee symposium is held at the Doelen in Rotterdam. A special edition of Chemisch2Weekblad, which is also celebrating its centenary, is issued.

On 2 October, the KNCV concludes its centennial celebration with the symposium ‘Op weg naar morgen’ (Paving the Way to Tomorrow) in which the future of chemistry in the year 2030 is laid out according to four possible future scenarios.

The KNCV founds publishing company Bèta Publishers.

2004

A new logo is launched to represent the KNCV’s new and broader identity.

Chemisch2Weekblad is now published by Bèta Publishers. Chemisch2Weekblad editors move to the Vlietweg in Leidschendam.

The third volume of De Geschiedenis van de Scheikunde in Nederland comes out.

2006

The KNCV agency moves to the Castellum building at the Forepark in The Hague. Besides the VNCI and Stichting C3, VAPRO-OVP is also housed in the building. The new location is named ‘Synthesium’.